"I like the way we came out, I liked our demeanor at the defensive end for the entire game," Blazers head coach Terry Stotts said.

Nate Robinson had 24 points and seven rebounds off the bench to lead the Nuggets, who had their 23-game regular-season home winning streak snapped. Denver went an NBA best 38-3 at home a year ago.

"Our team looked very tired," Nuggets head coach Brian Shaw said. "They just looked winded. They looked like they were the team that played in altitude and we were the team that was coming in on the second night of a back-to-back."

After Robinson's layup pulled the Nuggets within 31-30 early in the second, Portland countered with an 18-6 run to seize control.

Lillard nailed a pair of threes and registered a 3-point play among his 11 points during the surge, which was capped on a Batum triple for a 49-36 spread.

The Blazers took a 64-50 lead into the break and Matthews scored the first nine points of a 20-6 burst in the third to stake Portland to its largest advantage of 89-63.

The Blazers led 91-71 after three, but Denver got within 101-94 with 4:57 left before Portland answered with eight straight points to put the game away.